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Abdominals - Part 1
Abdominals - Part 2
Abdominals - Part 3
Fitness Mistakes
Getting In Shape
Exercise Intensity
Top 10 Health Tips
20 Ways to Lose Weight
Weight Training Benefits
Why Work Out?
Tone Up Flabby Arms
Free Fitness Tips
Workout Plateaus
Interval Training
Workout At Home
How to Get Sexy Abs
Water Workouts
Weight Loss Lifestyle
Is It Safe To Run While Sick?
Tips for Healthy
Eating Habits
Wedding Fitness Questions
Wedding Day Tips
Workouts That Travel
Top Fitness Questions
Common Fitness Pitfalls
Play Ball To Get Fit
Working out Through Menopause
Women's Strength Program
Getting In Shape With The Internet
10 Steps To Fitness Motivation
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FITNESS TIPS FROM NYC PERSONAL TRAINER TERRI WALSH
Choose a category:
Strength Training Tips
Walking Tips
Exercise & Workout Tips
Weight Loss & Diet Tips
Running Tips
Holiday Tips
Bridal Tips
Healthy Cooking Tips
Strength Training Tips
- Include strength training in your weekly exercise fitness program - no matter what your fitness goals are. Resistance training provides many health benefits, especially for women.
- Women, don’t be afraid of strength training. You won’t bulk up and, resistance training is easy to start with. Learning to strength train properly will get you all the results you’re looking for.
- It’s not all or nothing. It’s better to do a little training than none at all. Even if you can only fit in one workout in a week, you’ll still benefit from it.
- Be sure you are training with the properly sized resistance. Ideally, you should choose a size that fatigues you after 15 reps.
- Focus on your form and technique. If you are unable to use proper, form when performing an exercise then you probably are using weights that are too heavy. Choose a size that allows you to train with correct form.
- How long you rest between sets matters. For building muscles and getting bulkier the rest time should be longer. For more muscle endurance and leaner, more defined muscles the rest time should be shorter.
- Try a ‘periodization technique’ which progress every week over a 4-week time period. Starting with lighter weights and more reps, each week increasing the weight size and decreasing the number of reps.
- The frequency of your strength training depends on whether your goals are to get bigger and stronger (less often) or whether you want to get leaner and more defined muscles (more often).
While I’m at it, here's some of the new equipment I stocked up on lately:
- rebounder
- exercise tubing
- fitness balls
- versarolls
- weighted 20lb vest
- balance discs.
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Walking Tips
- Make sure to bend your elbows when you walk – this makes your arms swing which, oddly enough makes your legs move more quickly!
- Take short strides – long strides can be hard to maintain as they feel uncomfortable.
- Heel-toe, heel-toe, heel-toe – chant it while you walk. You push off from the heel and then the toes follow!
- Walk with your abs pulled in nice and tightly.
- Interval training walking – short bursts of quick walking followed by slower times to get your breath back – can be very beneficial.
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Exercise & Workout Tips
- You need to buy new sneakers regularly – I change mine at least after every 2 months of fitness classes or every 250 miles of walking/running.
- If you hate running try climbing stairs – it’s a good low impact alternative.
- It’s easier to stick to an exercise program if you enjoy what you do – avoid exercises that you don’t like doing as they’ll just give you an excuse to quit.
- It’s easy to get bored doing the same stuff so change your exercise program very month or so.
- You’ll get the best results if you include total body workouts in your exercise regime. These include: cardiovascular exercises, strength training, core training and stretching and flexibility.
- Make sure you are doing enough by doing your own exercise intensity test. You can, for example, check your heart rate or do a talk test.
- Run away from elevators and TAKE THE STAIRS!
- Don’t underestimate how important stretching and flexibility are. Try to stretch before and after a workout (before is good, after is important!) If you do stretch before your workout do it after a 5 minute warm-up as your muscles will be more relaxed and you’ll see more benefits.
- Stand up straight on cardio equipment such as elliptical trainers and don’t rest your weight on the rails as this reduces calories burning.
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Weight Loss & Diet Tips
- If you don’t eat healthily then you won’t get the greatest results from the exercise you do.
- List the reasons why you want to lose weight – stick it somewhere you’ll see it every day as an incentive.
- Don’t skip breakfast – it’s the most important meal of the day. If you eat breakfast you’ll consume fewer calories during the day than if you don’t.
- Drink water rather than calorie filled drinks. You should be drinking at least 64 ounces of water a day plus another 16 ounces for every hour of medium intensity workout. If you find it hard to keep this up fill a bottle with the required daily amount and carry it around with you.
- Try and make a meal stretch out to 20 minutes – then, and only then, will your brain tell you when you are full.
- Make low fat/low calorie food taste better by cooking with spices and seasonings – if it tastes better you’ll feel satisfied and won’t crave junk food.
- Cut down on caffeine – it can stop fat burning processes.
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Running Tips
- If you’re a running ‘newbie’ don’t do too much too soon. Walk at least 30 minutes 3 times a week for at least three months before you move on to running.
- Get a good rhythmic stride that avoids bouncing or overstriding – good runners don’t run with their upper body (that’s for balance) but from the hips down.
- Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth – ideally through pursed lips.
- Spend time finding running shoes that fit well and that are designed for running otherwise you could experience problems such as blisters.
- If the weather is cold then wear a hat – you lose body heat through your head.
- Buy new running shoes regularly – at least every 250-500 miles.
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Holiday Tips
- Don’t just assume you’ll exercise OK over the holidays. Plan ahead to make sure you still eat healthily and get some exercise. You may not be able to work out as much as normal or eat as healthily but you can still keep on the straight and narrow! It’s a good idea to schedule workouts on your calendar like an appointment – if you put the time aside for them, you’ll be more likely to stick to them.
- If you go to a party fill up in the beginning with healthy food like vegetable sticks, fruit, chicken and so on. Remember to avoid dips and sauces here! That way you’ll fill up and will be less likely to gorge yourself on the less healthy (but more yummy!) options. But, you can still treat yourself and have a little of what you fancy! Also, make sure to eat regular healthy meals during the day before the party – that way you’ll feel quite full when you get there as well.
- Alcohol is basically a wasted calorie experience – the average drink has up to 200 calories per glass. Just a couple of drinks contain the same calories as a meal. If you do drink alcohol then drink smart – alternate an alcoholic drink with a glass of water or mix half a glass of wine with sparkling water.
- If you go to the mall, park in the furthest corner away from the stores so you have to walk to get there! Take some healthy snacks with you so you won’t be tempted into the food court!
- Don’t be tempted to stop exercising because you’ve decided to wait until your New Year’s resolution kicks in before you start again properly. Even if you’re busy over the holiday period, take some time for some exercise. If you have a day when you are just too tired or busy to exercise make yourself do a short 10 minute burst of something fitness related.
- If you’re too busy to go to the gym, try exercising at home. You don’t need any/a lot of equipment and you can fit in 10 minutes here and there even over the holidays.
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Bridal Tips
- You won’t lose a lot of weight quickly so start planning early. You’ll look better on the big day if you lose weight or tone up gradually over months of exercise and healthy eating rather than trying a fad diet.
- Getting married can fry your brain and make you try to be something you are not. If you’ve never been a size 6 before then don’t try and be a size 6 just for that one day. Be yourself – just a healthy, fit version of yourself!
- Brides to be are always short of time but, there’s no point dieting if you don’t exercise as well. If you don’t exercise your body can’t burn off calories to the max. Remember, you don’t need to spend hours at the gym – short bursts of 10 minutes of exercise will do just as well. And, you can start walking instead of taking cabs or taking the stairs instead of an elevator, for example.
- Don’t think that not eating will make you thinner. It’s important to eat regularly to keep healthy and to avoid illnesses such as binge eating. If you find it hard to find time to sit down for every meal then make sure you have regular healthy snacks such as crackers with peanut butter, low fat cheese and vegetable sticks.
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Healthy Cooking Tips
- Try not to eat or cook with hydrogenated fats and oils.
- Eat lean meats wherever possible – if you are cooking a more fatty meat then choose the leanest cut you can get.
- You won’t get maximum nutrient value from a food if you overcook it.
- Try to make sure you eat some raw vegetables and fruit with every meal.
- Try and make mealtimes relaxing and don’t bolt your food. If you eat slowly you’ll not overeat and you’ll digest better and see better absorption of nutrients.
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